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The Word Magazine

Tag: Lifestyle

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The Export Edition

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Neighbourhood life

Belgium building

Discussing iconic Belgian architecture with urban planners, architects, writers and curators.

Do the right thing

Weekly listings of exhibitions, concerts, openings, parties and events to do over the weekend.

Area codes

Local heroes reveal their favourite neighbourhood hotspots and hangouts – from bars and bookshops to restaurants and galleries.

This is Belgium

The best Belgian-only art, food, photography, music, travel, architecture and neighbourhood tips from the magazine’s team of editors.

hub heroes

We team up with hub.brussels, Brussels’ Business Support Agency, and shine a light on 50 of the Region’s start-up success stories driving the capital city’s economic landscape forward. From the eco-conscious manufacturer to the technology-enabled post-production imprint, our 50-strong selection of portraits and interviews plays testament to the Region’s dense and dynamic culture of entrepreneurship.

The Brussels Bike Hundred

We’re teaming up with Bike for Brussels to put together a 100-strong selection of local heroes shaping the city each in their own way. From designers and DJs to performers and publishers, these are the creatives riding Brussels forward.

The Mechelen Hundred

Nestled between Brussels and Antwerp, Mechelen has often been overshadowed by its larger neighbours. Yet teaming up with the City of Mechelen, our line-up of 100 of the city’s most prominent people, places and projects proves the extent of its potential. From artists and creatives to critical thinkers and fighters, these are the powerhouses driving Mechelen forward one step at a time.

The House Hundred

We’re teaming up with Bulldog to select 100 essential people, places and projects in Belgian house music. From producers and DJs to record labels and festivals, these are the forces driving the homegrown house scene forward, one BPM at a time.

The Leuven Hundreds

We’ve joined forces with Leuven to highlight 100 local people, places and projects that contribute towards making the city what it is today. From artists and architects to producers and professors, these are the driving forces powering Leuven forward one ingenious initiative at a time.

The Antwerp Hundreds

We've teamed up with This is Antwerp to bring you The Antwerp Hundreds, a 100-strong selection of local movers and shakers setting the tone for the neighbourhood of tomorrow.

Art

On-design

An in-depth look at the work of Belgian design studios, published monthly.

Favourite Belgian movies

Selections of essential Belgian movies handpicked by artistic directors, curators and all-round cinema connoisseurs.

Curator talks

Intimate conversations with curators dissecting the ambitions, intentions and narratives of their recently opened exhibitions.

Exhibition reviews

Visual documentaries of recently opened contemporary art exhibitions in Belgium.

Portfolio reports

Reviewing the practice of Belgium-based artists through in-depth looks at their recent works.

Studio visits

Exploring the environments and artistic spaces of some of the country’s foremost contemporary artists.

The art throwaway project

Insights into the lives of local contemporary art movers and shakers through our office Quicksnaps.

Music

Exclusive mixes

Hour-long mixes recorded by the crème de la crème of Belgian DJs and producers exclusively for us.

Favourite Belgian releases

Selections of essential Belgian tracks handpicked by local tastemakers, from DJs and producers to record label heads and record store clerks.

The music throwaway project

Backstage antics, tour tales and onstage adventures with some of the country’s most exciting musical talents captured with our office Quicksnaps.

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Tag: Lifestyle

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Neighbourhood life This is Belgium
The best new female models in Belgian fashion

The best new female models in Belgian fashion

We've selected our favourite Belgian cover boys and girls for spring, eight fashion forward faces that'll soon be gracing a glossy cover near you, if not already. Here's the ladies.

Neighbourhood life
The Word’s limited edition tote

The Word’s limited edition tote

Our new collection of The Word totes hit the streets today, with a limited edition illustration by Virassamy. Get yours and support your favourite Belgian bi-monthly.

Neighbourhood life This is Belgium
The best architectural renaissances in Antwerp

The best architectural renaissances in Antwerp

In the first part of our series on old spaces that have been granted new life, we turn our attention to Antwerp's Kammenstraat church, now a concert hall and a railway depot-turned-city park.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in Belgium 05.04

The weekend in Belgium 05.04

The orange album's mother-of-all-parties might be behind us, but never fear. This weekend's got a new wave fest, second hand shopping and a bunch of expos, from Gert & Uwe Tobias, Anetta Mona Chisa & Lucia Tkacova, Erica Svec and Zachary Wollard.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in London 05.04

The weekend in London 05.04

Using the long Easter weekend for a getaway trip to London? With exhibitions exploring body adornments and the street art of Spanish artist Pez, Clark's album launch party and the Superfreq night you'll have a lot to discover.

Spring cleaning

Spring cleaning

Spring is a time for new beginnings (read: new clothes). But what to stuff in your closet once you're done clearing out the cobwebs from your woolly Belgian winter wardrobe? Here's our handpicked selection of lovely spring things.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in Belgium 29.03

The weekend in Belgium 29.03

This weekend, everyone's off to The Word's orange album release party. Oh, and there's also exhibitions of Charley Case, Joel Morrison, Andres Serrano, Lara Gasparotto and Ford Madox Brown, plus parties at Brussels' Catclub and a Helmet gig. It's going to be a busy one.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in London 29.03

The weekend in London 29.03

London's calling with exhibitions from Roald Dahl illustrator Quentin Blake and Japanese artist Kasuma, plus a gig by London-based band Guillemots and an absolutely unmissable drum n bass do at Fabric.

Neighbourhood life
Back to zero

Back to zero

As part of our series on new beginnings, here's Julien Mourlon and Mieke Dumortier who've accomplished something most of us scaredy cats daren't do: they took the reigns of their careers and said so long to playing it safe.

Music The music throwaway project
Casiokids

Casiokids

The Word's throwaway project whisks you backstage for a peek at Norway's Casiokids doing their thang on their latest tour.

Music
New name, new game

New name, new game

We're talking band re-baptisms as part of our series on new beginnings, with Belgian musos The Glimmers, MonkeyRobot, New Bleeders and BRNS on why they did it and how it changed things (or not).

Music The music throwaway project
M O N E Y

M O N E Y

After their gig in Paris' Point Ephémère last month, M O N E Y, Mancunian band on their way up, strip down naked for our throwaway project. Literally.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in Belgium 22.03

The weekend in Belgium 22.03

From Jeffrey Clancy's metallica to Kubrick's lonely cities, and all the Gustavo Riegos, Kirsten Pieroths, Koen Vanmechelens in between, throw in an average temperature of 17° and some cold, fizzy Jupe and you're set for a killer weekend in Belgium.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in London 22.03

The weekend in London 22.03

Exhibitions of Christopher Baker and Alice Chennar and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Drums of Death and Nero in concert: Definitely worth a trip to the island this weekend.

Neighbourhood life
The rise of e-suicides

The rise of e-suicides

Today we kick off our series on 'new beginnings' by taking a look at those who dare to say goodbye to their social network accounts. But, as the Eagles put it: “You can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave.” Or can you?

Music
Sei A

Sei A

We sat down with Scottish producer Sei A AKA Andy Graham in London to talk about his music and how moving to the big smoke has affected it.

Fifteen questions to Alice Knackfuss

Fifteen questions to Alice Knackfuss

We talk to the designer about feminism, the "freedom" of menswear and why she ultimately refuses to believe in fast fashion.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in Belgium 15.03

The weekend in Belgium 15.03

What does your future hold? A workspace-cum-gallery in St. Gilles, a darkly colourful show by Nicolas Van Kerckhove, plus expos at ALICE, Artiscope and Salvo and everything in between. Oh, and Madball play hard ball in Antwerp.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in London 15.03

The weekend in London 15.03

Getty's east-enders and some Ordnance Surveying by Jo Syz provides your photography fix in facking Landan this weekend, while Needwant and Breakestra are there to tick all your house and funk boxes.

Neighbourhood life
Win tickets for the Absolut Blank party

Win tickets for the Absolut Blank party

Absolut Vodka are throwing a two-nighter this weekend to celebrate the launch of their latest campaign Absolut Blank. And we have 10 pairs of tickets to give away.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in Belgium 08.03

The weekend in Belgium 08.03

Another busy weekend for all you people out there: there's Liège's photography biennal, exhibitions by JessicaYatrofsky, Muller Van Severen, Ida Tursic and Wilfried Mille, plus a party thrown in your honour by Belgian label On-point and a concert in Magasin 4.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The  weekend in London 08.03

The weekend in London 08.03

Exhibitions by Rob O'Brien and Poland's Olek, gigs by upcoming bands Leika, The Isis and The White Lions and last but not least: a typical London-style warehouse party whose location is still top secret. All will be revealed.

Neighbourhood life
It’s a new day

It’s a new day

Starting Friday 16th March, our website's editorial theme will be 'New beginnings'. Read on to find out how you can contribute...

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in Belgium 01.03

The weekend in Belgium 01.03

After a week off and with 4 exhibitions, 3 concerts & a night at Brussels' museums, our selection of weekend happenings is back on track.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend in London 01.03

The weekend in London 01.03

Beginning his weekly column with a bang, our London correspondent Marcus Barnes takes his pick of happenings in the Big Smoke this weekend.

Music
Ross Clements and Geert Sermon

Ross Clements and Geert Sermon

With just a few days before their first night at Brussels' Beursschouwburg, we speak to kindred spirits Ross Clements and Geert Sermon about their joint promoting effort.

Neighbourhood life
PLMD’s Pierre and Damien

PLMD’s Pierre and Damien

We polish off our series on creative and enterprising two-pieces with the delightful duo Pierre and Damien from graphic design studio pleaseletmedesign.

Music Exclusive mixes
Sagat

Sagat

Still ridiculously loved up, we bring you Brussels-based DJ Sagat's excellent Valentines's Day mix, inspired by tacky, crappy E-Cards. It's a good one.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 16.02

The weekend 16.02

The weekend kicks off tonight with Michel Mazzoni's book launch, a vernissage for Betty Tompkins' iconic Fuck Paintings and the arrival in the capital of quirky band Beatallica.

Music Exclusive mixes
Miss Hot Tracks’

Miss Hot Tracks’

We continue our series of Valentine's Day-inspired mixes with Brussels-based DJ Miss Hot Tracks mix entitled 'Desires'.

Neighbourhood life
Hunting and Collecting’s Niels and Aude

Hunting and Collecting’s Niels and Aude

Niels and Aude are the creative geniuses behind Hunting and Collecting, a Brussels-based concept store that's made a name for itself in Belgium and beyond.

Music Exclusive mixes
Uphigh Collective

Uphigh Collective

Leuven-based all-rounders Uphigh Collective kick off our series of Valentine's Day-inspired exclusive mixes.

Neighbourhood life
Projet Digilence’s Emilie and Valentin

Projet Digilence’s Emilie and Valentin

Emilie Pischedda and Valentin Souquet are a duo in lots of ways: they are artists, lovers, parents and founders of Brussels-based art production hub Project Digilence.

Art
The Valentine’s Day gift guide

The Valentine’s Day gift guide

Every day of the week we'll be hand-picking one gift that is guaranteed to get you in your loved ones' good books. And we ain't talking heart-shaped boxes...

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 09.02

The weekend 09.02

Exhibitions of Cy Twombly, Chantal Akerman and Naoto Kawahara, Azari & III and Jedi Mind Tricks in concert, plus a London getaway special revealing the must-sees on the island this weekend.

Art
Grey Gardens

Grey Gardens

By telling the story of the aunt and cousin of Jackie 'O' Kennedy, 1976 documentary Grey Gardens shows the face of the American aristocracy fallen from grace.

Neighbourhood life
SteytPeña’s Luis and Laurence

SteytPeña’s Luis and Laurence

Luis Peña and Laurence Steyt met while assisting the same photographer in Paris back in 2004. These days, they're busy with their venture, SteytPeña, and their very own Brussels studio.

Neighbourhood life
Felicia Atkinson and Bartolomé Sanson

Felicia Atkinson and Bartolomé Sanson

In the fourth part of our series on illuminating couple-collaborators, we introduce multi-talents Felicia and Bartholomé whose pooled resources include books and records.

Neighbourhood life
Onda Sonora’s Bart and Yoeri

Onda Sonora’s Bart and Yoeri

More superstar soulmates. DJs Yoeri Bellemans and Bart Sibiel make up two halves of Onda Sonora Soundsystem. They traffic their soulful sound at their own trademarked shindigs but also through a cool weekly slot on FM Brussel.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 03.02

The weekend 03.02

It's a balmy minus 8° out there, but these weekend shindigs should warm you up: ProPulse Festival, Catclub and a Pierre Besson expo in Brussels, vintage shopping and a metal gig in Antwerp, and electronic music in Ghent. Have an outrageous weekend.

Neighbourhood life
Face to Face’s Delphine and Flore

Face to Face’s Delphine and Flore

On a total love buzz, we've begun harvesting some of February's Valentine spirit. We've decided to while away the month by introducing you to some inseparable Belgian two-pieces. Some are musicians. Others photographers. The odd DJ-duo, even. We kick off our series with Brussels-based graphic design team Face to Face.

Neighbourhood life
Memymom’s Lisa and Marilène

Memymom’s Lisa and Marilène

Part II of our fascination-feature on outstanding Belgian two-pieces. Drumroll please for Memymom, a photography venture concocted by mother and daughter duo Marilène and Lisa.

The Beautiful Fall

The Beautiful Fall

A fascinating read about the bitter rivalry between iconic fashion designers Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 26.01

The weekend 26.01

This weekend has exhibitions of Don Brown, Wouter Feyaerts and Daan van Golden in store. Plus: Get your hands on a contemporary art piece without getting your wallet out at Bozar and take in your dose of music at Transardentes or the Gym Class Heroes concert.

Music The music throwaway project
Is Tropical

Is Tropical

London three-piece Is Tropical takes you backstage with our disposable camera project.

WWD

WWD

Need to get up to speed on the inner workings of the fashion industry? Want to find out who's holding which position in which company? Or how a recent sales dump in Asia has affected luxury brands' stock price? A yearly subscription to fashion bible Women's Wear Daily's really all you need.

Art
Bruce Davidson’s Subway

Bruce Davidson’s Subway

We take a closer look at Steidl's recent reissue of American photographer Bruce Davidson's groundbreaking photographs of the New York subway back in the 1980s.

Neighbourhood life
Delvaux and Wouters & Hendrix collaboration

Delvaux and Wouters & Hendrix collaboration

We sit down with jewellery designers Wouters & Hendrix to get the lowdown on their Delvaux collaboration.

Music The music throwaway project
Suuns

Suuns

Our throwaway project gets given the Suun's treatment.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 19.01

The weekend 19.01

Christopher Coppers' exhibition opening in Brussels tonight, the incomparable Chilly Gonzales on Sunday night and a couple of design (Tomas Alonso at Victor Hunt), photography (Ben Murphy at Stieglitz 19 and Swedish photography at Zebrastraat) and art (Nikolay Oleynikov at Komplot) shows in between.

Neighbourhood life
Our Christmas wish list

Our Christmas wish list

Starting today and up until Christmas eve, we’ll be putting forward two present proposals a day meant to make your end-of-year gift search that little bit easier. Today: A knitted cardigan from Henrik Vibskov and scarf by SPRB.

Music
Nosedrip

Nosedrip

We sit down with Ghent-based DJ Nosedrip to ask him what's missing in his life and what songs he'd play on a first date. Scroll down to the bottom of the interview for a free mix.

Art
The whiteboard

The whiteboard

From teapots to toothpaste, these are the items that inspired us for our white album.

Art
The school of white socks

The school of white socks

We zoom in on one of our all-time favourite fashion faux pas: white socks.

Art
When Hedgren met Sonny

When Hedgren met Sonny

Belgium bag maker Hedgren teams up with happy snapper Sonny Vandevelde for the launch of their capsule collection.

Art
White coats: The pharmacist

White coats: The pharmacist

For the last instalment in our series on professions that still require wearing a white coat in the workplace, we visit Ghent-based pharmacist Ann Seye.

Neighbourhood life This is Belgium
The best burgers in Brussels

The best burgers in Brussels

We round-up three of our favourite burger joints in Brussels - and toss in others that deserve a mention.

Art
High Drama

High Drama

Our pick of most memorable cocaine scenes in cinematic history, from Charlie Chaplin to Woody Allen.

Art
White coats: The cheesemonger

White coats: The cheesemonger

Meet cheesemaker Walschot in the second instalment of our series on professions that still cherish the white coat as working wear.

Art
White coats: The poulterer

White coats: The poulterer

Do you remember the time when wearing a white coat at work was a pre-requisite, not an option? Here, we visit four professions who still insist on donning a white apron during working hours.

Neighbourhood life
Jungle fever

Jungle fever

Robbert van Jaarsveld on a US census study predicting the end of the white race by 2042 and why the election of Barack Obama isn't what it seems.

Neighbourhood life
Snowballs

Snowballs

A 250-strong collection of snow globes that first came to our attention for our white album and, due to popular demand, even made it to our white album release party.

Neighbourhood life
My little white screen

My little white screen

Frédéric Nicolay, the creative mind behind Café Belga, Potemkine and cult Belgian beer Vedett, continues in his quest to freshen up Brussels with his neighbourhood-loving little white screen project.

Art
Rue Blanche

Rue Blanche

Rue Blanche is not only known as a purveyor of softness for everyday women but also for its outstanding look books. We dived a bit into history and had a closer look at its catalogues of the last 25 years.

Neighbourhood life
Chauncey’s white crew neck

Chauncey’s white crew neck

Cosy-up to this white sweater from Brussels-based knitwear label Chauncey made of the finest Mongolian cashmere.

Neighbourhood life
White ’hoods

White ’hoods

Why is it that 'white' neighbourhoods aren't as clearly defined in the human consciousness as, say, 'Black' or 'Asian' neighbourhoods? We've looked into the matter and stumbled across countless organic food shops and a lot of dog poop.

The Royal Tennis Club of Belgium

The Royal Tennis Club of Belgium

For 33 years now Gilbert Elseneer and his wife have run the Royal Tennis Club of Belgium in Brussels, a somewhat antiquated but lovingly kept tennis club where members' attire must be at least 80% white.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 01.12

The weekend 01.12

Lineart Art Fair and Hercules and Love Affair's Andy Butler in Ghent, Belgian photography and discount designer shopping in Antwerp, Jasper Johns in the countryside and, last but not least, Robert Devriendt and a temporary design store in Brussels.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 18.11

The weekend 18.11

Design exhibitions, photography fairs, fashion sales, vintage markets, live shows and DJ nights. People take note, your weekend's about to kick off and it's going to be big.

Neighbourhood life
Fifteen questions to: Zhao Li

Fifteen questions to: Zhao Li

With her playful, animal-shaped creations, up and coming jewellery designer Zhao Li has roots in China and a home in Antwerp, adding some much-needed colour to the local jewellery scene. We speak with her about the beauty of spiders, using medical plastic and her jewellery line 'talitali'.

Neighbourhood life
A Sofie D’Hoore dress

A Sofie D’Hoore dress

The little black dress gets given a Belgian twist in the shape of Sophie D'Hoore's upscaled offshoot for the modern woman.

Neighbourhood life
Bleu de Chanel

Bleu de Chanel

Chanel's latest fragrance for men 'Bleu de Chanel' hits all the right notes. Neither too girly nor too macho, the perfectly balanced manly scent offers just the right mixture of confidence and unpretentiousness.

Neighbourhood life
Kiehl’s Creme de Corps

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps

You know what they say: a good defence is a strong offence. Don't wait for the winter to take its toll on your skin, and pre-empt the cracks with Kiehl's Creme de Corps, a face-saving, all-encompassing body cream that'll act as damage control to the winter months' wrath.

Neighbourhood life
Spicing it up: Saveurs et Savoirs

Spicing it up: Saveurs et Savoirs

For the last instalment in our four-part series of inspiring retail start-ups, we spice things up a little with Saveurs et Savoirs, a temple to the senses set to open in Brussels this December.

Neighbourhood life
YMC sweater for girls

YMC sweater for girls

Nothing says cuddle up and snuggle like a heavy-knit sweater, and this YMC crew neck has got the entire office dishing out group hugs as defensive measures against the week's depressing weather.

Neighbourhood life
Ménage à deux: When fashion, art and lifestyle collide

Ménage à deux: When fashion, art and lifestyle collide

In the third instalment of our series on new retail innovations, we meet DJ duo Ménage à deux a couple of days prior to the opening of their concept store of the same name, a fashion, design and culture emporium nestled in the heart of Brussels.

Neighbourhood life
Nike Sky Force ’88

Nike Sky Force ’88

The re-edition of Nike's Sky Force '88 has got the whole office reminiscing about the days when we spent more time on the basketball court than at the local. A time when scoring a three-pointer didn't yet have a double entendre.

Neighbourhood life
The interview: Magne Furuholmen

The interview: Magne Furuholmen

We speak with 80s pop icon and a-ha founding member Magne Furuholmen about his work as a visual artist and eco-activist.

Neighbourhood life Do the right thing
The weekend 23.9

The weekend 23.9

Our selection of things to do this weekend includes everything from design exhibitions and open door walks to cinematic retrospectives and art shows.

Art
The big blue: aquarium addict Jan Jacobs

The big blue: aquarium addict Jan Jacobs

We continue our series on Belgium's aquarium diehards with Jan Jacobs who calls a hermit lobster and mating clownfish his own.

Neighbourhood life
London’s The Peoples Supermarket wins smart future minds award

London’s The Peoples Supermarket wins smart future minds award

A supermarket for the people by the people - this is the motto of the winning project. A sustainable food cooperative that provides healthy, local food at reasonable prices convinced the international jury at the smart urban stage Frankfurt.

Art
The big blue: aquarium addict Erik Lievens

The big blue: aquarium addict Erik Lievens

In part three of our series on Belgium's biggest fishbowl fans, we bring you Erik Lievens...

Neighbourhood life
‘WeForest’ represents Belgium at smart urban stage in Frankfurt

‘WeForest’ represents Belgium at smart urban stage in Frankfurt

Saving the planet by planting trees - this is the mission of Belgian NGO WeForest which has the chance to win the smart future minds award tomorrow in Frankfurt. We spoke to CEO Marie-Noelle Keijzer in the run up to the big day.

Art
The big blue: aquarium addict Steven van Aeldeweereld

The big blue: aquarium addict Steven van Aeldeweereld

Part two of our series on Belgium's aquarium diehards: Meet Steven van Aeldeweereld who calls more than 30 fish from Lake Malawi his own.

Art
The big blue: Aquarium addict Dirk van Damme

The big blue: Aquarium addict Dirk van Damme

Photographer Veerle Frissen meets Belgium's aquarium addicts, capturing their interiors and exploring the vast depths of the ocean they've re-created within the confines of their own walls. Today we bring you Dirk van Damme, star of our latest edition's cover. He owns a massive 1,600 L fish tank.

The Word on teenage territories

The Word on teenage territories

We photograph the interiors of four individuals whose teenage territories have been stuck in the past.

The Word magazine

Style spotters: Manu

For the fourth and last in our series of visual chapters on individualism and style, we hand the camera over to Manu from Mapp Store – one of those people who always has something good to say. He might have just given a new album a listen, and thinks you should too (we recently discovered Holidays […]

Neighbourhood life
Movers and shakers: graphic designer Emil Kozak’s video

Movers and shakers: graphic designer Emil Kozak’s video

We recently published an interview with Barcelona-based graphic designer Emil Kozak. Chosen as one of three endorsers for Braun’s CruZer campaign, Emil draws, paints, illustrates, skates and surfs. What is more, he also heads his own graphic design and art direction agency, and is often called upon to inject a little pizzazz to brands in […]

Art
The Word magazine

Movers and shakers: graphic designer Emil Kozak

Graphic designers, if you ask us, don’t get half as much of love as they deserve. Part of that can be down to the fact that they operate on the fringes, preferring the familiarity of the backstage to the shine of the spotlight. Part of that is also down to the fact that they’re the […]

Music
The word with: Black Lips

The word with: Black Lips

Paying their customary visit to the Nuits Botanique, the Black Lips once more ripped the venue’s Orangerie to shreds. The self-proclaimed “flower-punks” are currently on the road presenting Arabia Mountain, their sixth effort – produced by pop maestro and instant hitmaker Mark Ronson of all people. And whilst these new tracks resolutely sounded more “flower” […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

Movers and shakers: B-boy Ronnie Abaldonado

“A lot of my transitions flow and connect fluidly like I am telling a story,” says Ronnie Abaldonado, one of the judges to this year’s Braun Battle of the Year breakdancing contest. A Filipino living in Las Vegas, Ronnie (28) has secured some of the most respected break titles around (winner of the 2007 Red […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

Faguo – world dominance one tree at a time

There’s something rather heart-warming about seeing a start-up coming-of-age, especially in the fast-paced and unforgiving world of fashion. If you’re anything like us and keep a close watch on the daily going-ons of the industry, you’ll agree that certain new arrivals somehow seem more astute than others at remaining at the top of the hype […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

Noir: entertaining a dark passion for sustainable fashion

Sustainable designer lines might flourish all over the fashion sphere, yet it would seem that only a few brands can be credited for making it happen. Noir, a Copenhagen-based fashion group, was smart enough to get rid of all the hippie dippie connotations the fad carries by injecting some major sex appeal into sustainability. Writer […]

Art
The Word magazine

The winners of our Swatch New Gent contest

Following an overwhelming response to our Swatch contest, we needed a little more time than expected to sift through your recollections and, ultimately, decide upon three winners. The jury has now spoken and, with somewhat of a preference for contestants who went that extra mile, here are the contest’s three winners, complete with their submissions: […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

Goods from the Gulag

Just when we thought we finally had found an excuse to call in caviar by the kilos and crates-full of vodka to brighten up our days, we settled for nostalgia over flamboyance. Frugal meals and geeky memories prevailed, which didn’t stop us from messing about with KGB worthy spy gear or Tsar-like ornaments. Photography Benoit […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

Win a watch from Swatch’s New Gent collection

Many objects come with the added bonus of announcing a certain coming-of-age. A maturity. A willigness to take a step up and, well, grow up. In the same way as you now start looking at blazer coats in a different light (“they’re ok when worn on top of a pair of jeans” you might even […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

Tell your people to call my people and we’ll do lunch…

Midday is crunch time at Word HQ, which means we’ve built up a considerable knowledge bank of places we can call upon for an immediate fix of culinary double-deckers. Spanning our customary urban triangle of Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels, these are the places you’ll find us queuing up round about 12h10. Photography Veerle Frissen Brussels […]

Art
The Word magazine

Varsity blues

I was given a little lesson in sportswear history over lunch today. The topic at hand was the varsity jacket (also known as a Letterman jacket), a staple of American university folklore. The lunch, organised by Nike Sportswear, took place in Alice Gallery‘s breath-taking new downtown space located in the heart of Brussels (the gallery […]

Art
The Word magazine

Ik hou van Charleroi

Our relationship with Charleroi and its locals was left somewhat shaky after a feature we ran in last year’s Heritage Issue. Conceived as a tribute to the city’s industrial heritage, the piece garnered its fair share of controversy and even a few angry comments. We felt we owed the city a fresh new look and […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

hallelujah!

Down on Rue Antoine Dansaert comes a new store that’s answering a lot of prayers with its eco-friendly and fashionable wares. Brought to us by Sonja Noël, the owner of the street’s stalwart Stijl, is Hallelujah. An eco-friendly take on luxury high fashion, this boutique is far cry from the hippy uniform of tie-dye, rainbow […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

The paper box

Before Press Shops and the ubiquitous free paper stand, downtown dwellers used to go to cubed newsagent booths for their daily news needs. Scruffy and shabby, these kiosks often enjoyed primed retail spots and a close contact with their clients. With only a handful of them left on the city’s sidewalks, we thought to catch […]

Art
The Word magazine

The Special Showstoppers: The Goods

We touch upon all aspects of design – from creation through to completion and reparation – in this month’s selection of special show stealers. We’ve got the software to prototype it, the loungechair to ponder it, the stool to rock it out, the plasticine to fix it, the mirror to have a final look at […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

We own the night

“All the animals come out at night. Whores, skunk pussies, buggers, queens, fairies, dopers, junkies. Sick, venal.” Such is how a jaded Travis Bickle, played by De Niro, describes the streets of New York after sunset in Scorsese’s cult movie Taxi Driver. Forever associated with danger and evil, just what is it about the night […]

Art
The Word magazine

The Word on rough trade

Big, coarse, callused hands have forever been the attribute of the virile and robust. Rachmaninov had them, and so do these four men. A gift of nature for some, but in this case, a testimony forged by years of hard and strenuous manual labour. Photography Sarah Eechaut Writer Yves Van Kerkhove

Art
The Word magazine

My other car’s a dump

There are certain cars you give names to. Certain cars you speak to. Certain cars you’d be capable of building streets for. Certain cars you do not take to the carwash but, rather, lovingly pamper by hand. These are some of those cars. Photography Sarah Michielsen 1. Saab 900i 16v A word from the owner […]

Art
The Word magazine

Its all in the name: Hunting and Collecting

With autumn comes the new season’s arrivals at Brussels’ most talked about concept store, Hunting and Collecting. As the name suggests this is about sourcing the very best of fashion, design and art around, and is a labour of love for owners Neils Radtke and Aude Gribomont. Joining their collective experiences of not only the […]

Neighbourhood life
The Word magazine

Inside the Glorybox

Newly opened and already making its presence felt on the fashion thoroughfare of Dansaert, Glorybox is a bastion of Belgian and French design. Stocking new designers solely from Belgium and France is a primary and appealing feature of the boutique, distinguishing it from other shops in the area. Another somewhat atypical quality is the friendly, […]

Art
The Word magazine

Brussels: where we sleep

Whether visiting town for a weekend or simply seeking a change of scenery for the night, below are some of our favourite alternatives to the rather impersonal globalized five star lodging chains. Hotel Pantone Topping our list is the recently opened and buzz-worthy Hotel Pantone. Designed by Michel Penneman and architect Olivier Hannaert, the spanking […]

Neighbourhood life This is Belgium
The best for food in Brussels

The best for food in Brussels

After sharing our favourite places to have a drink we share our adressess for the best food in Brussels and morem, from Delecta to Yamoto.

Art
The Word magazine

Brussels: where we shop

Sales have kicked off – which means we can finally indulge in some of our favourite brands without fear of ending up blacklisted by all the country’s banks. Scroll down for a selection of boutiques and stores that have become inevitable stops in our retail therapy marathon route. Mapp Store (Men and Women) © Mapp […]

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The Word Magazine is Belgium’s leading English-speaking free media platform, documenting and championing the best in neighbourhood living, music and art. Published every two months, the magazine is distributed in over 500 distribution points across the country.

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